Moving On
by TheNevermoreRose
Summary: Hinata is moving on. Goodbye Naruto.


Hinata lingered at the edges of the lake in a foreign forest, watching the leaves float down from the great trees that towered above her and land on the surface of the still water, summoning slow-moving ripples. Her team was on a mission—a lower-ranking one now that the war was over—and she smiled to herself in relief. The war had been so stressful, so heavy on the hearts of the citizens of the Hidden Village of the Leaf clan that it had lingered on everyone's minds for the past few peaceful months. Teams were being sent out to do missions in an effort to keep everybody moving, but collectively the adults were beginning to heave a sigh of relief. _The war is over_.

"Hinata!" Kiba's loud voice shouted from their camp. Hinata turned to see what he wanted.

"Your food is going to get cold," Shino offered when Kiba only stared at her quietly.

"I'm coming," Hinata murmured, rejoining them by the fire and grabbing the bowl Shino was offering her. She stared down at the fire, feeling a deep pierce of sorrow strike her as she thought of Naruto. _He's lively, like a flame_. Memories of the war came back to haunt her, but she shook her head to clear them away. _No, Naruto's alright, and that's all that matters._ _I am happy as long as he is happy._

"You're thinking of him again, aren't you?" Kiba asked quietly. Hinata looked up at him, seeing Akamaru shift beside him uneasily.

"Who?"

"Naruto," Kiba answered shortly. Hinata winced at the annoyance in Kiba's voice.

"No," Hinata lied gently, turning her attention to her food and beginning her meal. Kiba was silent as she ate, having already finished his own food. Shino left them by the fire to take the first watch, and Hinata wandered back to the lake to stare out at the water. _It's so peaceful_, she thought gently. _I wish I felt like this inside_.

"What are you thinking?" Kiba asked gently from behind her. Hinata felt Akamaru nudge her hip softly, and warmly she reached down and scrubbed his fur with her fingers. He sat and leaned against her affectionately, his great body warming her side.

"I am glad the war is over," Hinata replied. "It was so stressful. Now everything is so calm." She heard Kiba approach and felt his presence beside her, but she kept her eyes trained on the water. _It's easier not to look at him_.

"You don't have to feel awkward around me," Kiba said quietly. Hinata felt a slight blush creep into her cheeks as a vivid memory of Kiba telling her his feelings crept into her mind. He had said he loved her. She couldn't give him an answer.

"I don't," she shook her head slightly.

"You try not to look at me unless you absolutely have to," Kiba pointed out. Hinata's blush deepened but she did not turn to look at him.

"What should I say?" she asked. "What do you want me to say?" Kiba growled in agitation and paced back and forth, summoning a gentle whimper of concern from Akamaru.

"He doesn't love you, Hinata!" Kiba yelled angrily. "But I do! I love you! So why won't you choose me?" Hinata flinched and went to leave, jumping when Kiba grabbed her by the shoulders from behind and held her still.

"Don't go," he groaned in a softer tone. "Please. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. So please, don't go." Hinata felt like her entire face was on fire, but a knife was plunging itself through her heart. _This hurts. I understand this pain Kiba, and I want nothing more than to spare you from it, so please, just let me walk away_.

"K-Kiba?"

"What did I do?" Kiba whimpered. "What did I do Hinata?"

"Kiba?"

"I've always been there for you," he continued. "Always. Through all our missions, all your heartbreak, all the war, I was there. But you don't lean on me. You suffer alone, you try to get stronger. You never want me to protect you." His hands grew heavier. "Why won't you let me protect you?"

"Kiba, this hurts," Hinata breathed. "Please stop saying this."

"Why, because I'm not _Naruto_?" Kiba demanded, suddenly furious. "What did I do wrong? Tell me what I did wrong!"

"Kiba," Shino's calm voice cut in. Kiba's hands pulled away, and Hinata turned to see Shino pulling Kiba away.

"Damn it Shino, don't interfere!"

"Yelling at her isn't going to make her change her mind," Shino replied rationally. "Just leave her alone." Kiba glared at her before storming away, leaving Akamaru at Hinata's side. Shino only tipped his head to her before going back to his post. Hinata sank to her knees and let Akamaru wrap himself around her, crying quietly into his thick warm fur.

"Akamaru," Hinata sobbed, "why does this hurt so much? It feels like my chest is being ripped open. I've already lost Naruto, and now I'm losing Kiba too." She cried until her limbs grew weak, and slowly she drifted to sleep in Akamaru's side.

Slowly the hours of the night passed, and Kiba slid back to the camp once his head had cooled down. The fire was out and the tents were empty, and Shino was taking the entire shift, so Kiba went to the last place he saw Hinata in hopes of apologizing. _It isn't her fault_, he sighed to himself. _She can't help the way she feels_. That was when he saw her. She was cuddled into Akamaru's fur, her eyelashes still wet from crying, and her body curled up into an insecure ball. Hinata looked so fragile, so broken, that he was scared to touch her.

"Even when you're sleeping you look like you're in pain Hinata," Kiba whispered, kneeling beside her and stroking her hair. "Is it so horrible that I want to make you happy?" She stirred quietly—as he expected her to—and slowly opened her eyes, turning crimson the moment she realized who was patting her head so tenderly.

"Kiba?"

"You should go sleep in the tent," he told her softly, wiping her eyes kindly. Hinata lowered her gaze and stared at his chest, noticing his shirt was torn.

"What happened?" she asked in concern. Kiba looked down and smiled mischievously.

"Oh, I was practicing something and fell."

"It's still bleeding," Hinata murmured worriedly.

"It'll be fine," Kiba shrugged. "Come on, let's go."

"Wait," she insisted, reaching out hesitantly. She placed her hand over his deep scrape and closed her eyes, focusing. Kiba felt his wound healing over, and when it was completely closed she lowered her hand and looked away.

"Amazing," he praised. "Where did you learn how to heal?"

"Sakura taught me," Hinata blushed. Kiba felt a twinge of sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Kiba sighed. "I'll never tell you my feelings again. From now on I'll be the old Kiba you knew, alright?" Hinata winced and met his sad gaze with her own.

"Kiba, I know how much this hurts," Hinata divulged. "But this isn't what you deserve. I don't want to be with you just because Naruto won't have me. It isn't fair of me to go running to you."

"Hinata," Kiba murmured. "Hinata that doesn't matter. None of that matters. I…" He stopped suddenly and lowered his head. "Never mind." Hinata flinched.

"Kiba, don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't restrain yourself like that," she groaned. "That isn't the Kiba I know."

"Hinata, what else can I do?" Kiba muttered. "You don't love me. Plain and simple. But I love you with all I have. I would die for you Hinata, but you don't even care."

"Yes I do, Kiba," Hinata urged. Kiba looked down at her softly, taking in her always pained eyes, her humble mouth, her long silky hair, and felt his face coming closer to hers. He could feel her trembling, see her always present blush, but he was unable to stop himself.

"I love you," he whispered. A moment later his lips were on hers, feeling them move hesitantly against his as he brought her to his chest. He held her face, stroked her cheeks, ran his fingers through her hair, and lavished her with kiss upon kiss. Her delicate tears ran down her face like never-ending rain, but her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she pressed herself against him. _I feel so needed by this person_, Hinata realized.

The sensation of Hinata responding made Kiba dizzy. _She's actually kissing me back. She's holding me closer. She's encouraging me!_ He wanted to lay her down, to whisper how much he loved her and how precious she was, to make love to her and hold her in his arms forever, but his limbs wouldn't cooperate. He was trembling.

"Kiba?" Hinata whispered, finally pulling away. She was sitting on his lap, her arms hooked around his neck, and he was sitting up and holding her waist loosely. He was shaking madly.

"Hinata," he breathed.

"Kiba are you alright?" she asked fearfully, beginning to pull away. "You're shaking."

"Don't," he begged, hugging her tightly so she wouldn't leave. "Just stay. I'll be fine, so just stay."

"Kiba?"

"Hinata," Kiba murmured after a few long minutes had drifted by, "did I…force you to do this?"

"No Kiba," Hinata sighed, turning her face into his neck and kissing it gently. He shivered.

"Why are you doing this?" Kiba asked. Hinata closed her eyes.

"I need this."

"Need what?"

"I need you. I'm learning to let go of Naruto, but I need you. I can't lose you Kiba. I wouldn't know how to live without you."

"Hinata…"

"Kiba, I love you."


End file.
